After the film’s mega box office success, grossing over $116 million thus far, on a $25 million budget, it certainly wasn’t a surprise when Universal set Tim Story to once again direct Ride Along 2, the sequel to Ride Along, from a script penned by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, withIce Cube andKevin Hart returning to reprise their roles.

The studio has now set an official release date for the film: January 15, 2016, the Friday that’ll kick off the 3-day Martin Luther King Jr holiday weekend, given fans of the first film a good two years to simmer.

Will Packer and Ice Cube’s Cube Vision will also return to produce, with a summer 2014 shoot start date eyed on project which, as previously reported, will have more action and will be more multi-cultural, to help it cross over to reach other audiences – although no word on additional casting just yet.

Kevin Hart continues to stay busy, as do Tim Story and Will Packer. Read my piece on Kevin Hart’s hustle HERE; and on Tim Story’s career HERE.

Packer is currently enjoying the success of both Ride Along and About Last Night; he and Tim Story are finishing off Think Like A Man Too, which will be out this summer. He also has the Idris Elba/Taraji P. Henson thriller No Good Deed on his 2014 release slate. Watch him talk his formula for success HERE.